Hinged ski



H.SARTHOU Dec. 4, 1945.

HINGED SKI Filed Nov. 10, 1942 W6 ..H w, mwwm 5 N 5 m w w W1 A Patented Dec. 4, 1945 HINGED SKI Henri Sarthou, Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, France; vested in the Alien Property Custodian 1 Application November 10, 1942, Serial No. 465,641

' In France March 31, 1941 Claims.

The hinged ski forming the subject-matter of the present invention is intended to facilitate turnings and to reduce accidents, in particular in the case of uncompacted, heavy, deep or powdery snows, which are the most dangerous kinds of snow for the average skier.

This ski is characterised by the fact that it is composed of two distinct parts constituting, one the toe and the central part, the other the heel, said two parts being joined end to end in alignment With each other and resiliently assembled in the lateral direction, in the same way as a 1steering rudder, but rigidly in the vertical direcion.

According to a more particularly advantageous embodiment, the assemblage is obtained by means of a thin flexible steel blade placed on edge in the longitudinal axis of the ski and capable of being secured to both sections or parts of the ski in any suitable manner, for instance by means of angle irons riveted to said blade and screwed on both sections of the ski,

The flexible connecting blade might also be embedded in the two parts or sections and according to the longitudinal axis of the ski.

In one embodiment, the rear of the front section has the shape of a re-entrant angle and the front of the rear section that of a smaller projecting angle, so as to allow a lateral displacement of the rear section or heel by the latter pivoting about the apices of the angles. The angular junction and pivotal surfaces are preferably cut on a bevel.

Other particular points, also included in the cope of the present invention, will appear in the following text given with reference to the accompanying drawing, by Way of example only, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a first embodiment of a hinged ski,

Fig. 2 is a section made according to line IIII of the preceding figure,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the hinged ski illustrated in Fig. l.

In the form of construction illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the hinged ski is composed of two distinct wood members, The first member 2 forms the toe and the central part of the ski, the second member 3 forms the heel.

These two sections considered separately do not differ at all from the corresponding parts of an ordinary ski. By joining them together end to end, the rear of the central part 2 against the front of the heel 3, a complete ski of the design actually used will consequently be obtained,

which will have been sectioned in its lower part. The sam result can moreover be obtained by taking an ordinary ski and by sectioning it between the heel and the central part.

The length of the heel member 3 is variable and in relation with the total length of the ski. It can, for instance, be from /6 to T16 of the total length of the ski.

The rear of the central part 2 has the shape of a re-entrant angle and the front of the heel 3, that of a less obtuse projecting angle in order to allow a lateral displacement of the heel 3 about the apex 4 of the re-entrant angle of member 2 taken as pivotal axis, The male and female parts are both out on a bevel.

The assemblage of the two sections is effected, in the embodiment illustrated, by means of a thin and flexible steel blade 5, placed on edge or embedded in the longitudinal axis of the ski, Said blade 5 is secured to the ski by angle irons 6 riveted to the blade and screwed on both sections 2 and 3 of theski, by leaving a slight clearance between them to impart greater freedom to the heel in the lateral direction.

The steel blade '5 can only bend in the lateral direction, but remains rigid in the vertical direction, the ski being assumed to be flat on the ground. The heel of the ski can therefore only move in the lateral direction and retains its entire rigidity in the vertical direction, whilst maintaining the natural flexibilit of the ski throughout its length.

Owing to its position in the longitudinal axis of the ski, in position of rest and in straight line declivities, said blade 5 holds the heel-Straight in the general line of the ski. It is only at the skiers will and by the stresses he exerts for changing his direction that the heel, b the resistance of the snow to the lateral skidding of the entire ski, causes the blade to bend and moves laterally, in one direction or the other according to one of the arrows :r or y and imparts a new direction to the toe, like the rudder acts on the front of a boat. The stress exerted by the skier ceasing at the end of the turn, the steel blade comes back by its resiliency into a straight line and straightens the heel in the of the ski.

It is obvious that the embodiment described and illustrated is given herein only by way of indication and not in a limiting sense. In a general manner, all modifications or changes which do not alter in any way the main features above set forth or the desired result, remain included in the scope of the present invention.

general line What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a ski, a first section for constituting the toe and the central part, a second section for constituting the heel, and a resiliently distortable blade placed on edge and having one end fixed on the longitudinal axis of the first section and its other end so related to the second section on its longitudinal axis as to allow a relative lateral angular displacement of the sections relatively to each other whilst ensuring their rigidity in the vertical direction.

2. In a ski, a first section for constituting the toe and the central part, a second section for constituting the heel, a resiliently distortable blade placed on edge and according to the longitudinal axis of the ski and angle irons riveted to said blade and screwed on both sections of the ski for connecting both said sections by means of said blade, so that said sections can angularly move relatively to each other whilst being rigidly connected in the vertical direction.

3. In a ski, a first section for constituting the toe and the central part, a second section for constituting the heel, a resiliently distortable blade placed on edge and according to the longitudinal axis of the ski, said flexible blade being embedded in both sections for connecting them so that they can angularly move relatively to each other whilst being rigidly connected in the vertical direction.

4. In a ski, a first section for constituting the toe and the central part and shaped at its rear end according to a re-entrant angle, a second section for constituting the heel and shaped, at its front end, according to a projecting angle smaller than said re-entrant angle in which it engages, to allow a relative lateral angular displacement of both sections by a pivotal movement about the apices of the angles, and resiliently distortable means for connecting both sections.

5. In a ski as claimed in claim 4, the rear angular end of the first section and the front angular end of the second section being cut on a bevel.

HENRI SARTHOU. 

